Crème

crème a French word which not only means cream, the dairy product, but is also a culinary term.

In the French kitchen, there is no word to match the English term ‘custard’, and crème has to fill the gap. The thin pouring-sauce type of custard is crème anglaise.

Crème pâtissière is the equivalent of confectioner’s custard, though the English term tends to denote a less rich kind than the French mixture. Crème pâtissière is made from egg yolks, milk, sugar, and a little flour, with vanilla or some other flavouring; the light version used in éclair fillings and Saint-Honoré (see gateau) also contains beaten egg whites.